


The Color of Love

by milkofthebutter



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Blood, Coughing, Death, Hanahaki Disease, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Langst, M/M, Matt is awesome, OC is minor, THEY SUFFER, hanahaki, i like sad boiz, ish, keith is nice, not a happy fic, she moves the plot along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-11 20:42:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15323907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkofthebutter/pseuds/milkofthebutter
Summary: When Lance gets a tickle in his throat, he thinks nothing of it. But when he starts coughing up blood, he soon finds out that his feelings for a certain red paladin will be the death of him. Literally.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So here it is! It's my first fanfic, so lemme know what you think. If you see any grammatical errors, let me know. :)  
> Also, this is before clone shiro is revealed. If he seems a little harsh, that's why.

Unbeta'd

•••••••••

Lance hated training. It wasn't because he got sweaty, or because he disliked the workout. On the contrary, he enjoyed the exercise. It took his mind off of the war and the fact that those he loved could die every time they put on their suits. 

No, he hated training because it was degrading. If he was by himself, it was easy to shake off mistakes and try again. With all of the paladins, not so much. Any mistake he made put them in potential danger.

As sharpshooter, he was the eyes and backup of the team. He had to be aware of everything: enemies and allies, and he had to be able to differentiate.

He would never admit it, but if he was honest, it was a lot of pressure.

He understood that the point of practice was to get better, so nothing bad would happen on the real battlefield. But as soon as he stepped foot in the training room his buried nerves bubbled over. In order to relieve his anxiety, he relied on his jokes and sarcasm. The paladins didn't understand this, understand him, so naturally they thought he wasn't trying. 

He didn't blame them, honestly. He knew his jokes were overbearing and at the worst possible times. He just couldn't help it.

Although, his hate of training is what got him into this mess, so he probably should have sucked it up and dealt with it before he was physically dragged to the training room..

"Lance!" Shiro shouted, bringing Lance's attention to the bot that had just shot Pidge. "You could have prevented that. You need to stop fooling around and take this seriously."

Lance shrunk in on himself. He already knew this. He knew he should do better. He needed to do better. People's lives were on the line.

"Yes, Shiro. Do you think we could take a quick break? I think I will be able to concentrate better after lunch," Lance murmured. He didn't want to seem like he was making excuses, but he was really hungry. As if proving his point, his stomach chose that moment to let out a long growl. How embarrassing.

Shiro frowned, brows furrowed. He opened his mouth to reply, but Keith beat him to it.

"He is doing his best, Shiro. Maybe it is time to take a break. I'm getting hungry too." Keith let his bayard dissolve back into his armor and approached the two.

Hunk appeared at the mention of food. "Did someone say lunch? 'Cause I am _starving_!"

"I guess I could go for some goo," Pidge added, rubbing her stomach. "It is two o'clock, afterall."

Hunk spun around to look at the clock of the wall. "Have we seriously been at this for three hours? Geez, no wonder! My stomach feels ready to devour itself!"

Lance swallowed a lump in his throat and tried not to cry. He was slowing everyone down. His mistakes kept them all from progressing. But they were still kind to him. They still stuck up for him. 

Despite his efforts, tears started to build in his eyes. Head ducked, he headed for the door before anyone, especially Keith, could see them. He refused to let his rival see him in such a state.

"Hey, buddy, you gunna go get some goo with us?" Hunk shouted right as Lance reached the door.

Lance paused, hand on the door frame. He just wanted to run away for a while, but then the rest of the team would know something was wrong. He didn't want to worry them.

"Nah, I'm going to shower first. There is no way that I am going to be walking around all sweaty!" He managed to force the words out of his mouth.

 _Gosh, I really hope I sounded normal_.

"Alright, see you in a bit!" 

The door shut behind him and he broke into a sprint. The tears built more and, like water flowing over the edge of a cup, spilled out his eyes and down his cheeks.

 _No, no, no, no, no,_ he thought, and ran faster. Shame prickled at his spine. 

Weak. The thought flitted through his head on a breeze, twirling around and around as he tried to catch hold of it. 

He was supposed to be a paladin. How could he be so weak as to cry?

Tears blurred his vision and he almost missed the door to the showers.

Once inside, he quickly stripped off his clothes and turned the handle until the water was steaming. At least this way no one would question why his face was red. It was a technique he had used before so Keith wouldn't tease him for being unworthy of his paladin title. 

Although, now that he thought about it, Keith had been nicer lately. Almost kind. He had stuck up for him in other incidents like the one with Shiro. 

_Gosh, I must seem so pathetic that even my sworn rival pities me._

Still, Lance got a tickle in his throat at the thought of Keith.

Once Lance had been able to return to some semblance of his usual, cheery self, he got out of the shower, got dressed, and headed down for lunch.

He must have spent longer in the shower than he realized, because the only one left in the kitchen was Hunk, who was creating another version of his cookies. Hunk looked up from the bowl and turned around as Lance entered the room. 

"There you are, man! You sure took your time in the shower!"

Alright. Time to see if he still had his ability to lie through his teeth.

"You don't look like this," Lance motioned up and down his body, "by taking measly 10 minute showers." 

Hunk seemed to believe him.

"Yeah, I can see that," he laughed. His smile faded and his voice took on a more serious tone. "But seriously, are you okay? I know that you don't take criticism very well."

Lance forced a smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Alright," Hunk replied hesitantly. "I've got your back if you need anything, you know. We aren't best friends for nothing."

Lance hoped his grimace was closer to a smile as he nodded. 

"On another hand, here." Hunk passed a bowl of his creation from the night before across the table. 

"Aww, you saved me some of your delicious cuisine? Did you miss me so much?" Sliding into his seat, Lance fluttered his eyelashes and looked up at Hunk as he reached for the bowl.

"Nope. Keith did."

Lance almost fell off his chair.

"What?" He shrieked, managing to  set the bowl safely back on the table.

Hunk snorted at Lance's scandalized look. "Yeah, Keith was worried that you wouldn't get any, with you taking so long. So he saved some and hid it from Pidge. We all know she hogs any leftovers."

Lance was still in shock.

 _Keith did what? Why? We are rivals! Ah! He is probably trying to lure me into a false sense of security!_ Lance grappled for a reason. _Then I will be more likely to make mistakes and fall behind him! That's it! That stupid mullet, trying to pull one over on me. Well, it isn't going to work! No matter how often he helps me, his pretty little butt won't be able to trick me._

Lance was startled by a couple of coughs ripping out of his throat. Hunk looked at him. 

"You okay, man? That sounded pretty bad."

"Yeah, my throat is just really itchy all of a sudden." Lance managed to get out. 

Hunk didn't look so sure. "Maybe you should have Coran check that out. We can't have our blue paladin getting sick."

Lance waved him off, the itching gone. "Just some dust or something. Not a big deal."

Hunk eyed Lance. Lance considered changing the subject before Mama Hunk could come out, but he was saved the trouble by someone walking into the kitchen.

Keith ambled in, noticing Lance and Hunk at the table, and changed course to approach them. 

Lance could hear Hunk and Keith talking. It was something about Hunk teaching Keith, but Lance didn't care to listen. Grabbing a fork, he dug into the cooling leftovers. He almost moaned in delight. Even day old, Hunk's food was heavenly. 

Lance felt the table shift an inch just as he was about to eat another bite. The jostle came from one Keith Kogane, who had leaned on the table. He glanced up to glare at the offender, but found himself face to face with Keith's-- _booty_.

Lance immediately glanced back down at the table, cheeks burning. _No, don't think about cheeks. Bad thoughts, bad, bad thoughts! Bad Keith! How dare he look like that in front of me! Being that pretty should not be allowed in front of my poor bi eyes!_

Lance felt the tingling come back into his throat. It tickled and itched at the same time, and was almost unbearable. The cough that was building up was a welcome relief, even if it was in the form of a cough.

Even so, he didn't want Hunk to witness another bout. He stood, chair screeching as it was pushed back and headed for the door.

"Lance?" Keith called out. "What's up?"

Lance ignored him. If he opened his mouth now, the coughs would erupt from his chest.

He didn't even make it close to the door. Coughs once more erupted from his chest, but this time they hurt more. Much more. Ouch.

The force of the air leaving his lungs made him stumble, and he would have fallen if Keith hadn't appeared before him. 

"Lance?" Keith said, trying to prop him back into a standing position. He only coughed harder. They were relentless, refusing to give even a second of breath.

Keith was horrified. The coughing refused to stop. Hunk had also rushed over, moments behind Keith, and was now patting Lance on the back firmly. Hunk took control of holding Lance and moved to sit him on a chair. Keith stood back, unsure if he should be helping somehow or giving Lance space.

A few more moments and the coughing abated. Lance sat, gasping in air at first, then panting. He relaxed against the chair.

 _I take it back. I would rather have the itching_.

Once Lance was no longer having to work for breath, Hunk faced him and put his hands on Lance's shoulders.

"Are you alright now?"

Lance nodded. His throat was raw from the dry coughing and hurt to swallow. 

"I should have taken you to the infirmary the first time, I--"

"Wait," Keith interrupted. "You mean this happened earlier?" He seemed angry, though Lance couldn't figure out why.

"Yeah," Hunk replied, scratching the back of his head. "But not as bad."

Keith stood. "Lets go, Lance." He grabbed Lance's arm to assist him in standing.

"Hey! Wait--what--where are we going?" Lance croaked.

Keith gave him a once over. "The infirmary," was all he said. He pulled Lance up with surprising gentleness and tugged him toward the door. 

_He isn't going to let me say no, huh._

And Lance let Keith lead the way to the infirmary.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The paladins go to a meeting. Lance makes a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to SeawrIter170 as this story's first kudos!!! It really means a whole lot! :D  
> As usual, unbeta'ed. Enjoy!
> 
> On another note... oh boy!!! Here is the exciting chapter!

Keith had insisted on walking Lance back to his room after their trip to the infirmary. The whole way to the infirmary Lance had insisted that his coughing was nothing but alien allergies, but Keith didn't listen. Just like Lance predicted, Coran and the pods found nothing.

"See!" Lance exclaimed. "I told you! There is nothing wrong with me. I am probably just allergic to something in the food Hunk made."

It was a sad thought. Hunks food was truly delicious. But it did make sense. The coughing started when he was around the food, and it got worse after he had eaten it.

Keith was assuaged after that, but he still kept an eye on Lance. Lance thought that Keith's worries would be soothed overnight, but he was wrong. Keith kept an eye on him the next day too, as they prepared for a diplomatic mission on the planet Shiacaon.

An hour before they arrived at the planet, Allura gathered everyone to debrief them on the mission.

"Alright, paladins. The length of this trip is unknown, as we will be staying until negotiations are over. Make sure you bring all necessary items with you, as we will be staying in the castle with the queen and princess. And be on your best behavior." She looked over all the paladins. Her gaze settled on Lance. "Absolutely no 'funny business', as you call it."

They recognized the dismissal and found their way to their rooms to get ready.

As Lance wandered down the halls, he couldn't help but feel a little bit hurt at Allura's words. He _could_ be serious when needed, whether they believed it or not. He just preferred to bring smiles and laughter.

 _Well_ , he thought, _I will show them I can be professional_.

 

.     .

.     .

 

Lance had always liked the sunrise and sunset.

As they approached the planet, the sunrise didn't disappoint here either. They became planetside just as their star brightened the sky. Hues of purples, pinks, blues, and oranges filled the sky as the star rose.

The planet was almost livable to humans and had some of the same weather patterns.

The paladins stared as they confronted a world so like their own, but so different at the same time.

As they stepped out of the lions the star peeked over some rock formations. The city lit up. It looked to be made of the same rocks that covered the planet, but the buildings defied gravity. Some leaned at awkward angles, unsupported by pillars or cables. Many walkways were almost vertical, but the citizens who were already going about their business had no trouble walking up them.

They were soon approached by a few aliens.

"Welcome, paladins. My name is Eharaneflm, but I understand that you may have problems with our native words. Because of such, please address me as Hara. We will escort you to your rooms in the palace to get settled. The meeting will begin shortly."

The trek to the palace was long but pleasant. The citizens that saw them gasped and shook their neighbors to point out the legendary Paladins of Voltron as they strolled past.

Lance was enjoying himself. Space was so big and vast that sometimes he felt so alone in the Castle. And as much as being a hero was supposed to be selfless, it felt nice to be recognized for his hard work.

"Hey, Lance!" Hunk called from behind as he jogged over from his place with Pidge to walk with Lance. Lance paused, looking over his shoulder.

"How are you, man? I never really got to talk to you after you and Keith went to the infirmary. I mean obviously nothing was really wrong with you because you are here now, but what did Coran say? Was it something to be concerned about? I mean--"

"Hunk, " Lance said, interrupting his nervous rambling. "I'm fine. The scans didn't find anything."

Hunk let out a sigh and the tension in his shoulders deflated. "Oh good, 'cause I was getting real worried when you almost fell over."

"Hunk!" Pidge shouted, bouncing up and down. "I think I figured out why the rocks seen unaffected by gravity only sometimes. The ones with the correct ratio of mass and volume have created their own weak antigrav that allows them to float according to their density!"

"Quite the intelligent one you are, Green Paladin." The voice that spoke was almost painful to hear, rough and scratchy as it was.

"Leading One!" The escorts did a weird, sideways bow.

The figure that stood before them wore robes just like the rest of the citizens, but while theirs were more modest, hers were flashy and elegant.

Standing behind her was another Shiacaonite wearing similar, if a bit more muted, robes.

"Welcome Paladins," the front one spoke. "You may address me as 'Leading One' or 'Queen'. I have no name, for I have given up personal identity to represent the planet I rule." She gestured to the alien behind her, who stood forward. "This is the princess, Lenlia. She will be observing our meeting today in preparation for becoming the new Leading One once I am returned to the stars."

Lenlia did another one of those strange bows. "Welcome, Paladins," she said, much more softly than the ruler. Despite her tone, Lance would see a sparkle in her eye. The same sparkle he often had.

 _Oh, I feel like I am going to like her_ , he thought.

"Come now, we have much to discuss."

The leader of the rocky planet led them into the castle.

 

.     .

.     .

 

They all sat around a large table in an equally large room. The table, along with everything else on the planet, defied gravity. There were no legs to support it, and while the rock it was made of looked heavy, when leaned on it didn't sink or waver. Tapestries covered the walls from ceiling to floor. Reds, blues, browns, purples, and blacks clashed together to tell stories. The tapestries were full of scenes depicting the history of the planet and people. The 'Holy Ones' watched from under the earth as the Shiacaonites rose from the dust and grew into villages, towns, and cities. The tapestries depicted the rise and fall of rulers, some good, surrounded by crowds and loved by the people; some bad, surrounded by famine and misery on all sides. On the tapestry closest to the door was a character with somewhat similar features to the current leader. It was full of brighter colors, showing the prosperity of the people who had managed to keep the Galra away for another generation. From the few slivers of wall you could see, they were fashioned out of the same rock. 

Lance tuned out most of the meeting, focusing on the tapestries. And the ever-present tickle in Lance's throat. It only seemed to be growing. The occasional throat clearing only helped for a minute, and the itching came right back.

After one particularly strong bought of itching, he realized that the entire room was staring at him. Heat crept up his face.

"Ah, sorry. I have a bit of a tickle in my throat. It's nothing." Lance somehow managed to pull a smile onto his face.

Everybody turned back to continue the conversation. Except for the queen, who hadn't looked away from Lance. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Blue Paladin, if you would so wish, a medic could be fetched to check you over." The Queen let her eyes wash over him.

Allura looked over, warning in her eyes. Right. No funny business.

Lance gave a blinding grin. "I am very pleased that you are so willing to help me, but I was already checked out by our medic. He found nothing."

The queen nodded and turned back to the projection hovering above the table. 

"The planets here, here, and here," Shiro pointed to the circles on the projection, "have already been taken over by the Galra. So far you have been able to fend off any attacks, but according to our intel, the Galra have discovered that this planet has an abnormal amount of quintessence. If we were to combine forces, we could drive them out in one fell swoop by--"

Shiro was cut off by the wet coughs ripping from Lance's mouth. Once again, everyone's eyes were on him. But this time he couldn't spare a thought for it. He was focused on the  _pain_ of the air forcing itself out of his lungs, eyes watering. He barely managed to gasp air in before he erupted into another bought. 

A blurry form stood and sped to his side. Hunk. A hand, smaller than expected and much, much softer, settled on his shoulder. "Come, paladin. Let us go to the infirmary."

Lance shook his head. Allura would be irritated if he left.

"I insist. The Queen and your comrades will continue the meeting, and you can join them when we are done." Whoever it was started guiding him before he could respond. He didn't fight it. He was having enough trouble breathing air in as it was.

Luckily, the infirmary was only a couple hallways down. He was sat on a stool and left to catch his breath. Now that he wasn't walking, breathing was much easier. His watery eyes cleared and the room came into sharp focus. It looked awfully similar to the infirmary in the castle if a bit more updated. 

 _I guess infirmaries are pretty much universal_ , he thought.

Movement from his side caught his eye. 

Definitely not Hunk. The figure was not big enough. At his movement, the figure turned to face him. It was the princess. 

"Princess!" He exclaimed, hastily standing. The world tilted. A hand on his shoulder steadied him and he sat back down. "Princess, you didn't have to bring me here. Shouldn't you be at the meeting?"

She smiled. "It is not of much importance. My being there was just a formality. I would rather ensure your safety."

Lance could feel the blood rushing to his face. Was she flirting? He didn't think so. These aliens were really nice in general. She probably just meant that she didn't want a paladin sick. Voltron couldn't defend the universe if a paladin was down. Yeah, that was it. 

He glanced at the princess, now with her back to him, clicking at some machine.

She was a princess, there was no way she would be flirting with him.

Lance busied himself by picking at a hand nail. His mama would be ashamed he was doing so, but it wasn't like he had nail clippers available.

"Paladin." The princess called, turning again to face him. "I am ready. I am going to scan you now. Please hold as still as possible."

He straightened as she pulled out a long, flat piece of metal and began slowly waving it down his body.

"Breathe," she commanded. He released air he didn't even know he was holding and gave her a sheepish smile. Oops.

She finished and went back to the machine, clicking more buttons before turning to face him again. "It will be a few doboshes until it is done. In the meantime, tell me about yourself."

He blinked. "Well, I am the blue paladin. I have four siblings—five if you count in-laws—and the cutest niece and nephew on the _planet_ , possibly the universe, although they are mischevious little brats."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! This chapter is also short. It is also unfinished. I figured unfinished is better than nothing though.  
> And for those of you who read the last chapter before it was finished, it now is! Go! Go read it. :D

**Author's Note:**

> Tadaaa!!! Here is is! Thoughts? Suggestions? Let me know! I like feedback. So far the story had gone a slightly different direction than planned, but it's fine. I don't write the story, the story writes itself. I thank you for reading this far!


End file.
